Wow! What an episode! I have poked fun at the show for
introducing ‘red-shirt’ characters just to kill them off, and consequently
evading legitimate tension, but this episode had my heart pounding throughout.
The main focus of the episode was Hershel’s stubborn nature,
and willingness to treat everyone who had gotten sick, despite the risk to
himself. Scott Wilson gave a tremendous performance, showing the wisdom of the
character, and representing the desperate need to maintain one’s humanity
within this cruel world. He started the episode treating one (of many) ailing
patients, aided by Sasha and Glenn – who are looking rather worse for wear
themselves. He was even able to introduce an element of humour into their situation,
showing his determination not to get overwhelmed by the bleakness. He then
continued to fight on, even when other patients had all but given up, refusing
to allow Glenn to become downhearted.
However, in spite of his positive morals and pro-active
approach to treating everyone, people continued to succumb to their symptoms. Even
under these circumstances, Hershel continued to do the most humane thing
possible, and remove the patients from the cell block, in order to euthanize them
out of sight. Scott Wilson’s performance really helped to get the tragedy of
the situation across: there is a seismic difference between killing nameless
Walkers, and having to kill those you have grown to know.
Dr Caleb, in a highly advanced stage of the illness, told
Hershel that he simply won’t be able to save everyone, and very shortly
afterwards that prediction came to fruition. Hershel was closing everyone in
their cells for the night, when things took a turn for the worse. First off, a
dying patient staggered out of his cell and died in front of everyone – meaning
that Hershel had to keep everyone calm as he wheeled the corpse out of the
room. He then tended to Sasha, who had collapsed, but fortunately came to and
thanked Hershel for his “stupidity” – which he graciously took as a compliment.
Then a newly-turned victim staggered out into the cell block, pinning Hershel
to the ground; a father who had chosen to stay in a cell with his dying son
tried to help, but was bitten and killed by his zombified son instead. While
all this was going on, Glenn’s patient stopped breathing, and Glenn began to
choke on his own blood when he tried to call out for help.
A gunshot from the cell block caught the attention of Rick
and Maggie (somehow during the day) which caused Maggie to run for the cells,
while Rick sought out Carl to help reinforce the fences around the prison yard.
The threat level just kept on escalating, and despite their efforts, the logs
snapped under the pressure, and the fences finally gave way, spilling a large
horde of Walkers into the prison yard.
The action then jumped between the cell block and the
courtyard, leaving very little room to breathe between transitions. Hershel’s
prosthetic leg served him very well, as he was able to rescue Lizzie from a
Walker she had been attempting to control (!?). He then had to kill off Dr
Caleb, who had also turned, in order to get hold of the shotgun he’d taken into
his cell. Once armed, he took care of the Walkers, but not before making sure
they were safely out of view of the young children. Maggie then got into the
cell block (though not before breaking an axe trying to get the door open) and
employed a far less cautious approach than her father. She shot the un-dead
father with very satisfying nonchalance, and then helped Hershel rescue the
breathing apparatus that Glenn desperately needed, from another Walker. Glenn
lives to fight another day, and I have no complaints about the lack of major
character deaths, because they came dangerously close here.
Meanwhile Rick, after having spent ages trying to protect
Carl from using firearms, had to frantically teach his son how to use an
assault rifle. Together they were able to take out the entire swarm that had
broken through the fence. The hunting party then returned, and Carl said one of
the stupidest things that anyone can possibly say under their circumstances “everything’s
going to be okay”.
Tyreese was reunited with Sasha, and Bob was able to put his
medical expertise to good use, distributing medicine amongst the survivors. Perhaps
this is the end of the flu epidemic. But in the aftermath, Hershel returned to
Dr Caleb’s cell, and broke down whilst reading a passage from his Bible. It was
sad to see Hershel cry after all that he had been through, and I actually
thought that this was the end of the episode; but it wasn’t quite over yet.
Rick decided not to tell Daryl about his decision to banish
Carol right away, undoubtedly worried about the consequences. Meanwhile Daryl
complimented Hershel on being “a tough son of a bitch” before enquiring as to
Carol’s whereabouts. Hershel (rightfully) passed the buck onto Rick, before
going out for a drive with Michonne. The man certainly earned the right to get
some fresh air!
And then just as the episode closed out, there was an
exterior shot of the prison being watched by a very familiar, eye-patch wearing
man!
This was a great episode; there was a lot of character
development for Hershel; the Prison seems like a less safe place all the time –
maybe Carol is actually better off; and the tension throughout the episode was
superb.
Looking ahead, there will likely be conflict between Daryl
and Rick very soon, Lizzie continues to be something of a question mark
character (why was she running her boots through the infected blood?), now that
the fence has collapsed, will the group be forced into leaving the prison? And
the biggest issue of all: The Governor is back!
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